Perfect Settings for Your Holiday Card Snapshots

Who needs snow? There are plenty of nearby locales for staging holiday photo shoots.

Looking for the perfect outdoor backdrop for your family's 2017 holiday card? There are lots of great locations in Hillsborough County.

Here are seven possibilities to help inspire your creativity:

Apollo Beach Preserve: Beachy backdrops at this quiet retreat along the Tampa Bay coast shout Florida! to snowbound family and friends.

Family on Apollo Beach

Strawberry Water Tower: This iconic symbol of Plant City's sweet claim to fame is a festive backdrop for seasonal greetings. The structure, at 2602 E. Cherry St., is visible from public parks and rights-of-way.

Plant City strawberry water tower

Family Activity: How does your family enjoy spending time together? Consider making it part of a holiday photograph.

Dad and kids on a jet ski having fun

Postcard Mural: Local as well as out-of-town recipients of holiday greetings will appreciate seeing you in front of the colorful Tampa mural at the corner of Florida Avenue and Royal Street.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge: The soaring center span, which is in Hillsborough County, impresses from any angle. This image was taken from one of the adjacent fishing piers.

Center span on Sunshine Skyway Bridge

University of Tampa: Arguably the most recognizable building in Hillsborough County, the former Tampa Bay Hotel, across the Hillsborough River from downtown Tampa, is a visual delight.

University of Tampa minarets

When setting up your photo, be sure to consider weather and time of day. If you envision a clear-blue sky as part of your backdrop, don't set out on an overcast day. And if the sun is shining, be sure to account for its location before taking your photo.

For more ideas of locations for an ideal backdrop, check the dozens of images on the Film Tampa Bay website.

Then, round up your festive crew and head for their photo shoot. You might want to play holiday tunes on the way.

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